PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria County judge has released a teen from custody who was arrested this past weekend for allegedly having a fully automatic weapon.
The Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office says 18-year-old Dion Smith was ordered released after a hearing Tuesday, citing his age and minimal criminal history. He is charged with Unlawful Possession of a Machine Gun and Aggravated Unlawful Possession of a Weapon.
Smith was released under conditions that include GPS monitoring, home confinement, and to not possess any firearms or dangerous weapons.
Prosecutors say the incident took place May 22nd when police officers spotted an illegally parked vehicle near Trewyn Park that was surrounded by several people.
A search of the vehicle reportedly turned up two loaded handguns stacked on top of each other beneath the driver’s seat, in a way that was accessible to the backseat passenger, one of which was equipped with an auto sear that made the gun fully automatic. Police reportedly also noticed improperly packaged cannabis in the vehicle.
Prosecutors say Smith was identified as the vehicle’s backseat passenger, and allegedly seen with a gun when he entered the car. But he denied having knowledge of either gun.
Smith reportedly stated that the gun with the auto sear may have had his fingerprints on it because he saw it on the seat, pushed it on the floor, and kicked it under the driver’s seat.
The investigation into the case continues.
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